Old People

If you know me, and some of you do. It doesn't take long. Anyway, if you do - and if you don't, now you do - know this. I love old people. I love them. I can't get enough of them. I could hang out with them for hours. It's their voices, their stories, their wrinkles. I love their gray hair, their gray teeth, the way their eyes still light up. I love their skin, their wiry muscles, their noses and ears that never stop growing. Most of all I love their heart, their perspective, how things that seem so difficult and burdensome to me - are but small trifles from their pasts.

We discovered they have old people in China. And they are just as wonderful as the old people that we have here in the good old U.S.of A.

The woman in the picture above is 100 years old. We met her on the trail down from the Wannian Temple (first build in 4th Century A.D., reconstructed in the 9th Century (speaking of old)). This woman was selling incense to the folks who were into that kind of thing. We are not those kind of folks; however, what she didn't know was that I was into her! After a short greeting, I asked if I could have my picture taken with her. (This is not too forward, I learned, because everyone in China likes to have their picture taken.) To no surprise, she said yes. What I did not tell her was that I was also going to try to steal a kiss! That may have been a bit too forward. But I was like, hey, when's the next time I'll be this close to a 100 year old lady? Lia won't turn 100 for 68 more years. That's a long time to wait, and that's also assuming the not-so-likelihood that I'll still be alive. Anyway, I took my shot while I had it. Rejection-city...but from the picture, I think I got a smile!

You would guess that a 100 year year old lady selling incense on the side of the mountain would be the most impressive, at least the oldest, person that we would meet on our trip. But you would be wrong. The most impressive and oldest person was our friend, Chu-kuh's, 107 year old monk. They kept telling us that he was almost 108 (as if 107 was not old enough). Before the lady, I'm not sure if I ever met a 100 year old. I had definitely never met a 107 year old. He had been a monk since he was 7 years old. You got it right. This man has been a Buddhist monk for over 100 years!

Chu-kuh made the arrangements for us to meet him. When we arrived at his office, he was smoking a cigar while going over the plans for the temple renovations. (He smoked at least two cigars while we were with him.) The guy was awesome. We were given a book with some of his poetry in it. We were also given bracelets that he blessed for us. The blessing was quite an experience. Charlie went first to show us how it was done. He bowed face to the floor three times, then the monk tapped his head three times. I went next. I bowed to the floor, but when I got up, about to start my second, the monk smacked me on the head. He grunted. His lip snarled like Elvis. I lowered my head just in time for him to smack me two more times. Then he did it again! Again! Then he paused and I was about to get up when he smacked me again! Six times! I'm not sure how many of them were blessings, and how many of them were "you idiots." It felt like at least half of them were the latter. I guess I'll never know. Regardless, the dude was awesome. He blessed all of us. Then we took pictures.

He and my dad spoke some in Chinese. I spoke a bit with the fellow who is going to be the next head monk once 108 year old monk floats to Nirvana. I asked him what advice he would like me to take back with me to America. He said to cherish your family and friendships and to be kind and generous to all. That sounded like pretty good advice to me. And now I have shared it with you!